HYDERABAD: After Union Minister Amit Shah set a target of winning not less than 10 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the BJP state leadership is trying to get its act together to face the challenge that lies ahead.The party, which currently holds four Lok Sabha seats, garnered a substantial vote share in the recent Assembly elections. Encouraged by the people’s newfound interest, the party aims to consolidate the gains and build further on them.
In all, the BJP won eight Assembly seats with a 13.9% vote share. This is a positive development for the party. The BJP now wants to improve its vote share in the Lok Sabha polls from 22% in 2019 as directed by Amit Shah.BJP state president and Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy, who is the sitting MP from Secunderabad, is determined to lead the party to victory in the coming elections.
On the other hand, the party’s internal squabbles continue to be a worrying factor. They had done considerable damage to the party’s prospects in the recent Assembly elections.Over time, the state party unit has turned into a divided house. Newcomers from the Congress and the BRS began trying to assert themselves. Their influence gradually increased so much that the party began listening to them. Finally, the leadership changed the Telangana state president, yielding to pressure from them. This had led to a clear division in the party.
Internal squabbles
The party paid the price finally for allowing the differences to fester. The three MPs — Bandi Sanjay, Dharmapuri Arvind and Soyam Bapu Rao — and two MLAs — Eatala Rajender and M Raghunandan Rao — bit the dust in the Assembly elections. The party which should have won these seats effortlessly let them slip through its fingers.Shah, who was aware of the internal squabbles, asked BJP leaders to sink their differences and work as one team in the Lok Sabha polls.
There cannot be a worse commentary on the party’s performance than party state president Kishan Reddy remaining helpless as BJP nominee Krishna Yadav lost the election from Amberpet. It is Kishan Reddy’s home constituency from where he has been elected to the Assembly in the past. This has further demoralised the party cadre.
Now, the Lok Sabha polls pose an even bigger challenge. The party would have to improve its performance, taking full advantage of the fact that the Lok Sabha polls are fought on national issues. The BJP is yet to develop a Telangana-specific narrative to outsmart the Congress and win 10 seats.
Wounded rival
The BJP also would have to reckon with the BRS, which has been humbled in the recent Assembly polls. Now the BRS, wounded in the electoral battlefield, is trying to pull itself together and bounce back.The saffron party would have to watch out for desertions from its ranks as the Congress is the go-to party now. There have been reports that some leaders are wondering if the Congress is a better bet than the BJP.
The BJP’s performance in the recent Assembly elections, when examined microscopically, shows more weaknesses than strengths.Of the eight seats it won, seven were in Adilabad and Nizamabad districts. The party retained its Goshamahal seat in Hyderabad. Its leaders are also trying to fathom why its candidate could not fare well in other districts to take remedial measures just in time for the Lok Sabha elections.
Modi wave
Party sources said that the leaders are dependent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to win in the Lok Sabha elections and this may not augur well for them or the party in the state.The Modi mania may work but the individual leaders also should take steps to improve their image in the constituencies where they want to contest. They believe that though the people had voted for the Congress in the Assembly, they would vote for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections because, at the national level, the saffron party is more promising.
Bigger challenge
The Lok Sabha polls pose a bigger challenge. The party would have to improve its performance, taking full advantage of the fact that the Lok Sabha polls are fought on national issues.